Fluid pressure motor



Feb. 6, 1940. LLTHOMFQQN 2,189,088

FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed Nov. 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 O Elmo/VIM Feb. 6, 1940- EL. THOMPSON FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed Nov. 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 6, 1940. E. 1.. THOMPSON FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed Nov. 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W7 dz Srwwwfov 57/7662 L. Thompson,

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 r I UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE FLUIIDPRESSUREIMDTORIY'I I I Ernest L. Thompson, WashingtornD. 0. I. I I I, Application November 29, 1935, Serial'No. 52,271 I i 2 Claims. (o1.121 9,2

My invention relates to power transmission mechanisms and more particularly to mechanisms for translating pulsating power to steady power. -1 i Considerable development work has been car,- ried' on in recent years directed toward, the designing of fluid transmissions which will be-infinitely variable as. to speed without set. ratio changing steps.

narily taken the form of designing a rotor operable within a casing and having an area between the rotorand the casing constituting a chamber forthe fluid, in which chamber is adapted to revolve spaced buckets or vanes carried by the rotor. The casing is provided with spaced inlet and exhaust ports, usually defined by abutments involvingv the. radial movement of the vanes or blades in spaced radial recesses in the rotor. Motive fluid is supplied to the rotor chamber I under relatively high" pressures and the art heretofore has taught the extreme difficulty encountered in constructing a hydraulic power transmission which will be leak-proof while at the same-time designed sufficiently to eliminate friction as to be eiiicient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for transmitting power hydraulically which will be designed to accommodate extremely high fiuid pressures.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a device of this class in which a hydraulic pressure generator drives a hydraulically operated motor.

' It is another'object of the invention to provide in a hydraulic power transmission. a single valve cOnnected between the generator and the motor;for controlling the operation of the motor.

It is another object of the invention to vprovide a rotor construction which will be leak-proof against extreme pressures and yet durable and eiiicient in operation. I I I i A further object ofthe invention is to provide a power transmission capable of infinite variation as to speed without jar, vibration, or the like. ,A further object of the invention is to provide a power transmission mechanism of the hydraulic rotor type in which friction is reduced to a minimum. I I Y. A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism. of the class described which is simple of construction, efficient in action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description read in connection with the accompanying ll drawings forming part thereof, in which, I 1

These developments have ordi- I opened only by'suction' of therpump I6. I

pump I6, is normally operated to pump the liquid 40 through a-supply pipe l9 into a pressure reservoir chamberil however, the pipe I! is-fitted Figure 1 is a diagrarnmatic view showing the system including the variable speed transmission l Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the rotor shown in-Figure 1; I

Figure. 3 is asection taken on the line 3+3 of 5. f igurezy v I V Figure llis. an elevation of one of the floating pressure plates shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is-a detailed view in elevation show- 'ing the construction of atypical abutment; 10

Figure dis a plan view of the abutment shown in Figure 5; a

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing one of the buckets or blades mounted in the rotor and in. driving engagement with the casing linl5 111g; i

Figure 8is a section taken on the line a-s of Figure 7;, I f

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the larger 20 section of the composite blade, and

Figure 10- is a, corresponding perspective view 'of the smaller section of the same blade.

7 Referring. to the drawings wherein similar parts in the several views are designated by identical reference numerals -according; to one emb'odi- 25.

' merit of ,theinventiomYthere is provided a sys- I I tem-ll= for the operation of the conventional type of' Escal'ator, not shown.

' The system as shown in Figure l is actuated through the employment of pressure of any de- 3 sired liquid l'2, such'as'a non-vaporizing oil,'and a reservoir or dump tank l3 stores a sufficient quantity of liquid to maintain the system in operation. The tank 13 has a'valve M for maintaining the, pres'surein' the dump tank at not 35 more'than atmospheric." 'A pump I6 of the ordinary type is'connected to the dump tank l3 by a pipe 11 including a check valve 18 adapted to be The with an adjustable air inlet valve 22 located above the maximum level of the liquid l2 in the dump tank I3 for admitting air to be pumped mm the 5 pressurereservoir chamber 2| to build up a compressed air column therein. The supply line, I9 is provided with-a check valve 23 for preventing back pressure from the chamber 2|.

The pressure reservoir chamber 2| has aliquid 5 level gauge 24 connected preferably with an electric cut-off for automatically stopp ng the compressor I 6 upon the liquid attainingthe maxi- I mum level in thechamber 2|. The purpose of the pressure reservoir chamber 2 is to provide I for the application and maintenance of a steady head of pressure on the liquid l2 therein. Ac-

cordingly, an air dome 21 thereon communicates with the interior of the chamber Zl and is equipped with a gauge 28 which registers the pressure in the chamber. It will be understood that air supplied through the valve 22 may be pumped bythe compressor it into the chamber 2| and collected with accumulative force in the air domeZl to constitute a resilient cushion for the liquid and .provideaconstant pressure on the transmission supply.

A power control valve 3| provided in a pipeqs 32 communicating with' the bottom of the pressure reservoir chamber ,2l,' directly'determines the flow of liquid under pressure from the reser- A motor 33 is supplied from the control valve 3| through a cross 34 connecting branching inlet lines 3S and 31. After passing through the motor- 33, the construction and operation of which will be described hereinafter, 'theliquidis exhausted through dump-lines 38 and-39 which convergeat a cross 40- connecting therewith apipe communicating with the dump tank 13. As presentecL'the liquid is exhausted from the rotor against atmospheric pressure in the dump tank It; however, it isobvious that the speed of the rotor may be increased materially if desired by maintaining a vacuum in the dump't'ank l3 by any suitable exhaust pump, not shown." An automatic valve 42 in the line'4'l is normally closed to shut the exhaustwhenjthe valve 3| is closed, in order to permit pressure to build up in the casing when the valve 3l is first opened. It is adapted to open as soon as sufficient pressure builds up toturn .the rotor.

The construction and operation of the motor 33 is shown generally in Figures 2 and 3. The

motor includes a stationary cylindrical casing 43 consisting of a circularend p ate 44 with a perpendicular flange46 constituting the circular wall of the casing.- An opposite circular end plate 41' is adapted to be rigidly connected therewith, by bolts 48, 48 in holes 49 spaced about the rim of the plate 41 and engaged in corresponding recessesil in the casing wall 46. It will be observed that'the abutting facesof the casing wall 46 and theend plate 41 respective y, are machined true to insure a perfect, seal ther ebetween when thecasing is assembled; Viewed in cross-section, see Figure 3, the inner surfaces of the end plates 44' and Marc finished'with precision to insure their absolute smoothness, and theangles between the circular wa'll 463,01. the casing and the end plates'thereof are finished to true right anglesthroughout their entire extent. In order to'enable the rotor casing 43 to withstand without deformation the large-pressures.

exerted thereon in' operation, the end plates 44 an'd'41 are formed vexteriorly with integral spider ribs 52 extending radia ly from axial bosses 53.

The end plate 41is provided on the inner surface with an axial recess 54 for accommodating roller bearings 56 supporting the end of a driven shaft 51. The other end of the driven'shaft 5'! may be supported and connected in any suitable manner for driving the main sprocket of an-escalator or any other mechanism, not shown, to which power is intended to be transmitted. The end plate 44 has an axial recess 58-aligned with the recess 54 for accommodating roller bearings 59"also 'supportingth'e'driven shaft 51. Keyed v voir 2i to drive a hydraulically actuated rotor on the shaft 51 for rotation in the casing 43 is a wheel or rotor 6 l The wheel 6|, constitutes the rotor of the motor; is cylindrical and of smaller diameter than the interior .of the casing 43 for providing an annular chamber-62 at its periphery 63 for accommodating thejmotive liquid. The periphery 63 of the wheel is machined smooth as to be perfectly concentric with the-shaft -5l and.theyinnersurface of the casing wall46, while-itspara1le1 sides '64 64 are finished smooth and perpendicular to the shaft 51. The width of the wheel 6! is but slightly less than the distance between .the end plates 44 and 41 to permit ready rotation 'therebetweenf At spaced points in the peripheryof thewheel 6i, radialrecesses 65, 66 are formed, extending entirely across the width of the wheel :to constitute ways for buckets or blades 61, 68 and 69. The recesses 66, as shown particularly in Figure 2, are exactlyrectangular in'cross-section'; and theblades 6T, 68 ands-63 are of corresponding thickness to enable 'their-i'nice fit' while'permit ting rigidly defined sliding movement thereinradially of the rotor. The detailed construction of the blades 61, Hand 69 constitutes an important aspect of the invention and will be discussed-in detail below. Anofiset 10 is-formed in the' bot tom of each'recess fili'to space the radialblade therefrom, in orderto facilitate the building up of pressure against the bottom of theblades.

' At diametrically opposite points the rotor casing 43 is formed withradial aperturesll, 'lzfconstituting inlet means for the motive liquid; The branch'inlet-lines 36 and 3'la're" connected respectively to the inlet apertures H v and-I2 by coupling plates 13 bolted to the periphery of the casing. Th'ecoupling; plates have anaxial' re'cess l4 aligned with the inlet apertures for admitting the liquid, and, are connected to the branch inlet lines 36 and 3'l'by jets or plates 16. The Jeans are formed withmetering orifices or axial apertures H in line with theinlet apertures and couwhich it will be understood,

pling plate recesses 14. It will be noted that the jets 16 are removablefor the purpose of replacementwith jets having apertures of varying-di- 'ameters in order to permit controlled variation of the volume of the liquid passing therethrough; As represented in the I drawingsg see' Figure 2, the rotor illustrated is designedto have a clockwise rotation. Adjacent to the inlet Zapertures H and 12, abutments l8 and 19 respectively, are attached. The abutments 18 and 19,.whichwill be described in detail hereinafter, are rigidly bolted to the inner face of the circular wall 46' of the casing atthe inlet apertures.- the abutment being provided with an arcuate recess 8! in axial alignment with the'inlet'f apertures TI "and 12.

The abutments 18 and 1,9 are positioned inthe casing to extend in a counterclockwise direction from the inlet apertures, and at the opposite end from the arcuate recess 81 are each formed with an inclined cam surface 82. The. abutmcntat the cam portion 82 is'bifurcated to afford'a passageway 83 for exhausting the motive fluid through diametrically opposed exhaust vents 84 and 86 cut radially through the casing 43. 5 The dump lines 38 and 39 are'fiangedat 8'! and rigidly bolted to the exhaust vents 84 and 86, respectively. I 1

The conventional operation of the "above type of rotor is broadly'carrie'd out. "In thepresent instance, the motivefluid entering under pre s' sure through the valve 3|, which'may be manaally adjusted to determine the volume massing through the T 34, the inlet lines 36 and 31, and

the inlet apertures H and 1.2, respectively, to fill the annular chamber 62. IWhen the fluid fills theaperture or the annular chamber 62,

its pressure becomes effective upon the rear face of the adjacent blades 61, 68 and 69"and urges them away from the inlet apertures in a clockwise direction. Considering for the moment Figure 2, it will be observed that the motive liquid entering an inlet aperture 12 collects in the annular chamber 62 between the abutment 19 and the rotor blade 69. The pressure builds up therein and urges the blade, which is held against the inner surfaceof the rotor casing in a manner to be explained below, toward the exhaust vent 84. The rotation of the rotor carries the blade upon the camsurface 82 of the abutment 18, depressing it into its recess '66 and permitting the liquid. to escape through the exhaust vent.

Prior to the time at which the fluid'exhausts from behind blade 69, blade 68 will have been carried in position to receive the liquid under pressure from the inlet aperture", such pressure being adequate to carry the blade 69 beyond the abutmlent 18 whereupon it receives liquid under pressure from the inlet aperturell for further actuation toward the exhaust vent 86. The disposition of the inlet apertures and exhaust vents described above with respect to the radial blades r of the rotor is such as to insure that at all times in the operation of the rotor, two of the vanes are being driven while one-thereof is being exhausted, thus insuring the maintenance of a head thereon at all times.

Important concepts of the invention are the.

detailed construction of the abutments I8 and 19, the rotor blades 61, 68 and 69, and floating pressure plates 88 and 89 disposed in the side walls of the rotor casing concentric with the.

shaft. For continuity in description the latter will be discussed in detail first. I

During recent years the developments which have taken place in the designing of hydraulic power transmission, have emphasized the dimculty of constructing eflicient rotors in which safeguards against leaking under essential high solved by the construction shown in Figures 3 and 4. The side walls 44 and 41 are at their inner face annularly recessed at 6| and 62. The

recesses 9| and 92 are concentric with the casing,

and the shaft 51, to accommodate hearing or pressure plates 88 and 89, respectively. The pressure plates and the recesses are identical, the former comprising a di sc-like construction having a plane surface 83 and the opposite face thereof formed with a peripheral ridge '64- and an' axial aperture 95 of measurably greater diameter than the shaft 51, the axial aperture being defined by a ridge 96 which may be of the same depth as the peripheral ridge 94. The annular recess 9| is formed to receive the pressure plate so that the plane surface 96 thereof is flush with the face of the side wall. The surfaces of the pressure plates are machined smooth and the corresponding surface of the side wall at the annular recess is correspondingly machined to permit smooth rotation therein of the pressure plate.

On the above construction it will be observed that rotation of the wheel 6| will be between i the pressure plates 88 and 89 which will be permitted'a drift-in a rotary directiorrin, the annular recesses Stand 92. Midway between the peripheral and axial ridges 94 and 96, the side plates are formed with an annular recess 97 of arcuate cross-section with which communicate passage the cross 46 for admitting fluid under the ystem pressure into the arcuate annular recesses 91, whereby it will be observed that. the pressure platesare held against the wheel 6! with the samepressure existing in the annular chamber 62' preventing any differential in pressure and a consequent tendency to leakage beyond the wheel. 3

Each pressure plate supply line- I63 is provided with a control valve M4 in order to permit, when desired, limiting the pressure against thearcuate plates to less than that obtaining in the annular chamber. The above arrangement insures that the pressure plates function as floating bearings for the rotor Wheel 6|, and since the, greater portion of the area of the pressure plate abuts the arcuate pressure recess 91, friction is maintained at a minimum. The ridges 94 and 96 function to seal the arcuate pressure recess 91 against leakage or communication with the annular chamber 62.

The construction of the vanes or blades 61,

68 and 69 is clearly shown in Figures '7 to 10 inclusive. The construction illustrated is designed primarily to compensate forwear which blades have been urged upon'the casing wall by means of springs mounted in the bottom of the blade guideway, or they have been urged outwardlyby pressure of fluid led into the bottom of the guideway through passageways connecting the guideway with a fluid passageway bored through the shaft. In such arrangements, however, there has been deteriorationdueto wearing out of-the springsand weakening of the structure due'to the communicating fluid passages. It is here proposed to eliminate such defects by getting fluid under pressure to the bottom of the blade guideway from the annular, chamber 62. The blade consists of interfitting parts I61 and I68, the part I61 constituting the main portion thereof and consisting of a web I69 extending the full width of the blade, one side ill of which is a full thickness. The other side H2 of the web is of reduced thickness and provided at the upper or peripheral portion of the blade with a'recess H3. The part I66 has a face portion H4 and a rectangular protuberance or lug 'l i6. The parts are assembled'with the face por tion resting on the reduced side portion H2 and the lug H6 fitting in the recess H6. When assembled in the guideway, as shown particularly in Figures '7 and 8, it will be observed that the adjacent edges of the thicker side I! and the face portion H4 are parallel and. correspond throughout their entireextent, but are spaced normally takes place upon .the outer edge I66 i as a consequence of its travel along the inner surface of the casing wall 46. Heretofore rotor portion being brought closer to the side HI.

In such relation, the parts form a blade which is rectangular in elevation adapted to fltsnugly inthe radial blade-ways of the rotor and abut flush with the pressure plates 68 and 89. In

operation, when the blade passes one of the.

inlet apertures H or 12, the liquid under pressure accumulates in the annular chamber 62, flows along the vent l I! to the bottom of the radial guideway 66 where it'builds up a pressure against thelower edges of the blade parts It! and H18,

it being noted that said lower edgesare plane and perpendicular thereto. The pressure of the fluid in the bottom of the recess 66 is constant and equal to the pressure in the system. During operation of the rotor at all stages regardless of the position of the blade in the guide-way, the fluid fills the vent H'l, thereby urging the parts HI laterally towardithe side wall 44 and the part H18 in the opposite direction toward the side wall ll, thus insuring an ever-present resilient force which willmaintain the blade in close contact with the opposite pressure plates thus compensating for wear and preventing the development of leaks which would ordinarily result therein. The arrangement is equally effective for compensating for wear upon the peripheral edge of the blade, since the pressure accumulative at the bottomiof the guide-way 66 is always effective to'maintainthe blade toward the inner surface of the motor casing 43. Inasmuch as the gap between the blade parts forming the vent I I1 is on the rearward or pressure-receiving sur-- face of the blade, there is no possibility of the liquid leaking between the parts inasmuch as the equivalent pressure is effective upon the surface I M to maintain the part l 08 snugly upon the portion H2, and such leakages are further inhibited by the snug fit of the blade in the guideway 65. The projection of the lug H6 intothe recess H3 insures that the part l08'will be carried radially by pressure effective along the lower face of both parts.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the blade construction described provides for com]- pensation of wear on the plate or all the surfaces on which Wear islmost likely to occur. 1

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate in detail the construction of the abutments l8 and 19. As will be observed by referring to Figure 2, the abutment comprises a metal block arcuately curved concentrically with and adapted to lie along the inner surface of the .casing. The thickness of the abutment corresponds with the clearance between the wheel BI and the inner surface of the casing, or in other words, corresponds exactly to the width of the annular chamber 62. Therefore, a forward face H8 bears on the periphery of the wheel 6! so that fluid behind the abutment will be diverted into the exhaust vent, the abutment extending entirely across from side wall 44 to side wall 41 to divide the annular chamber into two equal and non-communicating portions. As a further wear compensating feature, the face H8 of the abutment is countersunk and fitted with a resilient sealing leaf H9, one end l2! of which is fast in a groove I22 cut in' the face of the abutment. The opposite end I23 of the leaf is free to swing from the abutment but insure smoothness of operation and prevent the development of back pressure. The end I23 of claims.

the leaf extends to'the plane of the inlet'aperture in order to seal the blade from effect thereby until the forward face of theblade is in the plane of theinnerap'erture. The action of the leaf seal H9 is controlled by system pressure by I reason of parallel grooves I24, I24 cut inthe face thereof, underlying the leaf-sealand communicating with the inlet aperture, see Fig. 6,

whereby it will beapparent that thefluid under pressure will be effective upon the inner face of the leaf to urge it upon the blade. By referenceparticularly to Figure 6, it will be observed that the passageway 83 cut through the bifurcated cam portion 82 extendsentirely to the highpoint !25 of the cam, thereby insuring that all of the liquid is squeezed from the front of the blade and into theexhaust vent before the abutment seals the blade. The abutments are made readily detachable so as to permit their convenientreplacement upon the occasion of wear manifesting itself on the leaf seal I I9. i The embodiment ofthe invention described above contemplates theoperation of the com pressor by a one-quarter horse-power electric motor, and. the capacity of the pressure tank at five gallons, although these values may be varied along conventional lines depending up'on the work output required.

In order to procure .full working advantage."

from the motor,'the combined areas of the exhaust vents should be larger-than that ofthe inlet ducts, and the diameter and-placement of parts described is, a matter of empyrical machine 1 design. In the present embodiment, it is contemplated that the rotor casing and wheel is I of cast steel, with the pressure plates and abutment leaves each composed of bronze. The various pipes and tanks may be of steel or galvanized metal, while the driven shaft and the various bolts are of steel.

It should be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the construction described, but only What I claim is:

1. An expa'nsibletwo-piece blade for a fluid.

pressure actuated rotor, one piece extending full width and having frontal and lateral recesses,

and the other having portions slidable in each;

recess to prevent leakage. 2. In a system for fluid power transmission,

by the scope of the appended means and the recess-as a sole inlet for the pres;

sure fluid to the recess.

the combination'of a rotor, a casing therefor, 

